H.E. Chöje Ayang Rinpoche will give his Phowa Course in Sikkim this fall. Please see the poster for the daily schedule and contact information for additional details. Rinpoche will teach in Tibetan, with Sikkimese or Nepali translation.

The annual 100,000 Tsog Offering Puja for the Protector Deity Achi Chökyi Drölma at Ayang Rinpoche’s monastery in Bylakuppe began on May 8 and will last for one week.

Those who would like to make an auspicious connection with the Protector Deity Achi and the Tsok Offering Puja may send their donations to the Drikung Charitable Society account. For a tax deductible donation in the U.S., please send your check to the Amitabha Foundation, P.O. Box 2572, Aptos, California 95001, or donate online below. You may send names for dedication to info@amitabhafoundation.us until May 12 at 5 PM Pacific time. Donations are welcome at anytime.

Puja sponsor

Names for prayers:

Here is an edited excerpt of a short biography of Achi Chokyi Drolma, given by Ayang Rinpoche in Sydney, Australia in 2004:

Achi Chokyi Drolma is an emanation of Vajra Yogini and Tara. She was born in the central area of Tibet. Beginning at a young age she was very special. She had great compassion and always practiced Tara, and she taught the Tara prayer for everyone in the village. When she grew older she prophesized that in the future there would be a new Buddhadharma lineage, and that she would be that lineage’s Dharma protector, whereupon she wrote protector offering prayers. Several generations later, her great grandson Jigten Sumgon started the Drikung lineage and she did become the main lineage Dharma protector.

She moved to Eastern Tibet, married and had 4 sons. Her most holy practice place is in East Tibet. At her death she attained the Great Rainbow Body. Her entire body become rainbows and light, leaving only her hair and nails. Like this, with no need to change this physical body, she went to the Pure Land.

On the relative level Achi was like the Dharma protector. But on the ultimate level, Achi had already attained the 10th Bhumi of a Bodhisattva. In this way, Achi was already enlightened. Achi’s activity in Tibet is very famous. All the Tibetan people, especially the older generation people, know very well about her great activity, how it is so helpful because it is very fast. In Tibet, some great masters say that Achi is exactly the same as the Buddha, and if we pray to Achi, then by our Achi practice we will achieve enlightenment, or we will attain the Pure Land at our death moment.

The 100 Million Mantra Amitabha Drupchen begins today, March 31st, at Ayang Rinpoche’s monastery, Dechen Choekhor Ling, in Mundgod, South India. The Tibetan Settlement in Mundgod is an overnight bus ride from Rinpoche’s main monastery in Bylakuppe.

The Amitabha Drupchen will last until the total count of 100 million Buddha Amitabha mantra is accumulated. The Vajra Master for the Drupchen is Drikung Khenpo Konchog Tashi (pictured above). All the rinpoches, khenpos, monks, nuns and lay people in the settlement will be chanting Buddha Amitabha mantras to accumulate the 100 million total during the Drupchen. Ayang Rinpoche’s brother, Gen Tsewang Tharchin, will oversee the Thungdrub (accomplishment of the 100 million).

Ayang Rinpoche requests that all Buddhist practitioners and others associated with the Amitabha Foundation worldwide contributeto this practice and send their recitations of the Buddha Amitabha Mantra to accumulate the 100 million total. Mantras may be accumulated and the totals sent in daily beginning April 1 for approximately 10 days. Send your mantra totals directly todrikungcharitablesociety@yahoo.com. Please do not send your mantra totals to Amitabha Foundation USA.

The Buddha Amitabha mantra is OM AMI DEWA HRI.

People who would like tomake an offering towards meals, butter lamps, tsog, tea, tormas, offerings for monks and nuns, travel expenses or other puja-related expenses, may send in their contributions directly to the monastery’s account (see the information below). For a US-tax-deductible donation you may also send a check in USD to Amitabha Foundation USA, P.O. Box 2572, Aptos, California 95001, or use the link below. You may dedicate the merit of your offering to your loved ones.

From February 23-March 1, 2018, Ayang Rinpoche’s monastery in Bylakuppe, South India will hold the annual Shitro (100 Peaceful and Wrathful Deities) Puja to welcome in Losar (Tibetan New Year, February 16) and celebrate ChötrulDüchen (March 2). Chötrul Düchen is one of the four holy Buddhist festivals commemorating significant events in the life of the Buddha. During the first fifteen days of the new year, the Buddha displayed miracles for his disciples to increase their devotion. During this time, it is believed that the effects of positive actions are multiplied ten million times.

Ayang Rinpoche said about the 100 Peaceful and Wrathful Deities practice, “It is the essence of the 6,400,000 Dzogchen tantras, and merely hearing this teaching cuts through birth in the lower realms; merely understanding it causes one to travel to the ground of great bliss (mahasukha); bringing its meaning to mind causes one to accomplish the irreversible state of the spontaneously arisen awareness holder. For everyone who connects with this teaching there will be great purpose and meaning.” H.E. Ayang Rinpoche, 2009 (Trans. Tyler Dewar). Read a short excerpt of this teaching from Ayang Rinpoche’s 2009 Karma Lingpa Shitro empowerment in Garrison, New York.

“Any one who has family members, friends or loved ones who have died and would like to make donations and dedicate it to them, it [Shitro] is the best opportunity.” If you would like to make offerings to support the 100 Peaceful and Wrathful Deities Puja online please use the link below, or send a check made out to Amitabha Foundation to P.O. Box 2572, Aptos, California 95001. Be sure to include the names of deceased persons or pets for whom you are requesting prayers. Names must be received by February 27, 2018 to be included in the prayer list for the monastery, but offerings are welcome at any time. Donations sent through the Amitabha Foundation are tax-deductible in the US.

Support the 2018 Shitro puja with butterlamps, tsok, or money offerings and tea/meals for the monks and lamas with an online donation using PayPal or your credit card:

Puja sponsor

Names for prayers:

You may also send your donation directly to the monastery’s bank account using the information below (this will not be tax-deductible).